No. 6 Miami gets another home test Saturday night, and the matchup sets up cleanly on paper: the Hurricanes are rolling at 3-0, while Central Michigan arrives at 2-1 with a much narrower path to staying in it.
Miami has already handled business on the road at Stanford and Wake Forest, moving to 2-0 in the ACC in the process. The Canes have been explosive on both sides of the ball, averaging 51.7 points while holding opponents to just 11. Central Michigan has been far more modest offensively, putting up 14.7 points per game and allowing 19.3.
Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday, Sept. 26, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
The game will air on The CW, with Thom Brennaman on play-by-play, Jason Cabinda as analyst and Wes Bryant on the sideline. Radio coverage is on 104.3 WQAM, and streaming is available through local CW affiliates, the ESPN app with ESPN Unlimited, and FuboTV.
The weather should cooperate. Miami Gardens is expected to see a sunny day with a high near 87 degrees and a 10% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5 p.m. Tonight is projected to be mostly clear, with a low around 71 and another 10% chance of storms before 8 p.m.
Miami’s injury list remains worth watching. WR Joshua Moore is out for the season with an upper-body injury, RB CharMar Brown is out for the season with a right knee injury, and TE Luka Gilbert is also out for the season.
CB O.J. Frederique Jr. is out with a shoulder injury, while CB Xavier Lucas and CB Ja'Boree Antoine are also out.
LB Ezekiel Marcelin Jr. is out several weeks with a lower-body injury. On the brighter side for Miami, WR Malachi Toney is expected to play, RB Mark Fletcher Jr. is expected to play, and RB Jordan Lyle is in position to make his season debut.
Central Michigan is dealing with one season-ending absence of its own: WR Tommy McIntosh is out for the season with an ACL injury.
The expectation is straightforward: Miami should have control of this one. The second half at Wake Forest is being treated as a warning sign, but the bigger picture still points heavily toward the Hurricanes. Darian Mensah has been sharp all season, completing 71 of 79 passes for 873 yards and 11 touchdowns without an interception, and there’s nothing in the setup here that suggests the rhythm is about to disappear.
Even with Moore and Brown done for the year, Miami still has enough depth at receiver and running back to create problems all night. The key on the other side is the run defense, which has been one of the national standouts at 45.7 yards allowed per game.
Central Michigan leans on quarterback Angel Flores in the run game, and if Miami shuts that down, the Chippewas could be stuck trying to survive with an offense that already has one clear lane. If that happens, the Hurricanes should be in line for a comfortable win.
In Other News...
Miamis Explosive Win Came With One Clemson Warning
Miamis first Saturday game of the season looked every bit like the kind of blowout a ranked team wants to put on tape, with a 52-3 rout of Central Michigan that showcased both the offenses ceiling and the defenses ability to take over a game. Darian Mensah topped 300 passing yards and threw four touchdowns, while Malachi Toney kept the pressure on the Chippewas with 120 receiving yards and a score. Miami also forced three turnovers and held Central Michigan to just three points, a reminder that the Hurricanes can win in more than one way.
The one thing that kept the afternoon from feeling fully polished was the flag count. Miami was penalized 13 times for 112 yards, a stretch of sloppiness that can get exposed much faster once the schedule turns to stronger opposition. For a team that spent the day overwhelming an overmatched opponent, the next challenge is obvious: clean up the details before those mistakes become costly against Clemson. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Fans Have Every Right To Be Mad About Darian Mensah Snub
Desmond Howards hypothetical Heisman vote on ESPNs College GameDay has already sparked plenty of debate, and it is easy to see why Miami fans would have an issue with how the quarterback conversation shook out. Howard put Trinidad Chambliss first and Kamario Taylor second while running through a wide group of passers who have put together eye-catching seasons, including Darian Mensah, Lincoln Kienholz, Michael Hawkins Jr., Faizon Brandon and Keelon Russell.
For Miami supporters, the frustration comes from seeing Mensah left outside the top two after being included in the discussion at all. The piece walks through the production and big-game moments from several quarterbacks, but Mensah stands out as the name that feels most likely to linger in the debate, especially with so much attention on how national voters sort through a crowded field of standouts. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Suddenly Has A Backfield Problem Fans Didn't See Coming
Miamis backfield depth got thin in a hurry heading into Central Michigan, with senior running back Mark Fletcher Jr. ruled out because of an upper-body injury and CharMar Brown already lost for the season with a knee injury. The situation leaves the Hurricanes leaning harder on a group that has had to adjust quickly, and it adds another layer of uncertainty to an offense that suddenly has to shuffle its plans on the fly.
Jordan Lyle is now positioned to help fill the void after being inactive because of legal issues, though he has since been cleared and practiced with the team. His availability gives Miami at least one more option, but the broader picture is still unsettled with another starter-level absence in defensive lineman Ahmad Moten, who will sit out because of a shoulder issue. [Read more 🡒]